Bring me back
by nikitabella
Summary: Because he let her go once and it turned to be his biggest mistake. Now, when he's so close, he is determined to find her and never let go again. But what does she think about that? AU, no gods and demigods, One-shot wishing Happy Halloween!


Jason presses his fingers gingerly on the man's neck but it isn't necessary. He can hear the lack of pulse already. The healthy pumping of a human's heart isn't there anymore. Another vampire has beaten him to it.

A loud curse escapes his lips while he covers the tracks. She is getting even more reckless than before. Not that he is complaining much, it's easier finding her that way, but why it have to be bodies he is following? Why not witnesses? Why does she have to kill?

_Because it's in your nature. Because you left her and there was no one to show her, to teach her. _

''Shut up.'' He growls at the voice in his head while watching the body burn to ashes.

He knows the fault is his. He knows that he made a mistake. The only thing left now is to try and repair the damage, fix everything.

_If she lets you to. Do you really believe that she will welcome you with open arms after all this time? After all she's been through?_

He sighs, shutting his eyes tightly, wishing to stop his damn conscience. It's already hard enough.

He decides that instead of thinking, he should be doing something so he settles back on returning to the alley he found the man in. Her scent is still fresh in the air; she must have left in a hurry. Three maybe four hours ago, Jason thinks.

He takes off immediately only to reach another dead end in the nearest city. He sighs partly in disappointment because she had managed to escape him again and partly in relief that there aren't any bodies this time. But she isn't anywhere to be seen either.

His phone vibrates in his pocket and in a flash he has pressed the answer button.

''Yeah?'' he is surprised by how casual his voice comes out but he doesn't have time to dwell on it.

''Jason, where are you? I lost your tracks a few miles away, is everything okay? Did you find her?'' His best friend Leo's voice comes from the speaker and Jason is suddenly so very tired of all of this. He sighs and leans back on the brick wall behind him for support.

''No, I haven't. I lost her again. I can't stop loosing her man.'' He says but this time the hopelessness is there, clear for Leo to hear but he doesn't care.

''She's probably close. I'll be over in a few minutes and we'll search the city over…'' his best friend offers quickly and Jason could hear the silent purr of his car's engine on the background.

''What if she doesn't want to be found? Maybe it will be better if I…''

''Oh no, you're not saying what I think you're saying.'' Leo threatened making his best friend sigh. ''Remember the last time you said that huh? And look where that led you to. Leaving is not a solution my friend, it's only postponing the problem. Running. It doesn't do much good as you see right now.''

''Leo…''

''I'm just saying…I'll be there in no time and we'll search the place brick by brick. She can't run forever.'' His voice is determinate and Jason sighs eventually, giving in and saying the name of the town he's in.

He looks around and notices a bar that is still open. He decides to give it a shot, let himself wallow for just a few glasses before Leo comes and they are on the search again. So he enters, not really caring who is around. He only wants to get a drink.

That's why he stops dead on his feat (as ironically as that may sound since he is indeed dead; he's immortal) when his gaze falls on the bar. Only two figures are there. A drunkard who is so wasted that is barely keeping himself up on the high chair and her.

His heart aches at the sight of her; she hasn't changed in the slightest since the last time he saw her. Her chocolate brown hair still barely reaches her waist with the occasional braid here and there. Her lips still formed in that perfect full shape that he remembers from the times they kissed. She is still the same.

And at the same time, she is so much different. Her body is shaped more firmly now, like she's been working out. Her skin tone is paler than usual, not enough to catch the eye of a human but enough for him to notices the difference. Her heart still beats but slowly, like it's the toughest work in the world, to make the next beat. It's in rhythm with his own heart and he curses himself a dozen times in his mind because this is the one thing he didn't want to give her and at the same time, it's the only thing she has from him now. It's not fair, she doesn't deserve this.

''Well, well, well, look what the wind brought around.'' Her voice, though the same, holds a cold edge and Jason furrows his brows while sitting next to her and ordering himself a drink.

Something was wrong.

''You are tough to chase. It took me some time but here I am.'' He answered finally, sipping from his glass and not looking at her.

''Though I wonder why you bothered after all?'' she remarked casually and Jason winced slightly.

''I've always cared for you Pipes.'' He admits finally, turning to look at her just to see her laugh.

And though the sound is the same, her eyes, those multicolored eyes that once held wonder and love, now held only coldness and arrogance. Like she doesn't care at all. And it's so unlike her to just don't care that Jason wonders what had actually happened, how bad had she hurt her by leaving her?

''You care for me?'' her eyebrows shoot up while her lips still form a smile. ''Aren't you a little too late now? I can take care of myself Grace, no need to feel bad.'' She looks away just to get her glass refilled while Jason stars at her. She sighs and rolls her eyes. ''I turned off my emotions long time ago so don't worry, I'm not mad or angry, or sad…I don't hold grudges simply because I don't _feel_ _anything_!'' she stresses the last words eyeing him coldly and just then Jason understands.

Physically, she is the same 18-year-old. But emotionally, she is the total opposite of the girl he once knew.

''I'm sorry.'' Is all he manages to think of saying and he knows it's not enough but he just doesn't know what else to say.

Her laugh makes it even worse, makes it more real.

''Apology accepted I guess, if that's gonna make you feel better. I don't personally care.'' She shrugs and drinks down her drink before standing up. ''And now it's time for me to go. Say hi to Leo from me.'' She pats his shoulder, still smiling and without a second glance back she is gone.

_I don't personally care._

Her words ring in his ears. They sound so wrong that he growls in frustration and jumps from his seat, ignoring the strange looks she gets from the rest of the bar's visitors. He is a man on a mission and he was _not_ letting her go that easily this time.

He looks around, trying to catch her scent again but then a crash nearby gains his attention.

''My dear, it's really you? Didn't I kill you already like, five years ago?''

The voice was male's, cold and ruthless; a voice Jason can recognize everywhere. So he takes off in a vampire speed and in a blink of an eye, he is in the beginning of the alley where Piper was cornered by his worst nightmare. Octavian.

''I guess you aren't that good in your job then huh?'' Piper retorts confidently but Jason knows her well enough to see the nervousness in her ever-changing eyes even from this distance.

''I think I'll have to do it again then.'' Octavian sneers and Jason decides to interfere now and catch the spineless slug off guard.

''Think again.'' He hisses in his ear after grabbing his head in a tight lock.

One disadvantage of Jason's diet on blood banks? He is weaker than his enemy. So it's easy for Octavian to unlock his arms and throw him across the street and into a brick wall that cracks loudly. The sound is mixed up with two of Jason's ribs crashing too but he ignores the pain he's in to stand up and lurch at the skinny vampire. Again, he is not fast enough and he is captured in a death grip.

''What do we have here little Piper? It seems that your prince is back in the picture eh? Too bad that it will be for the last time, I quite enjoyed his feeble attempts to save you.'' Octavian laughs coldly but Jason couldn't see his face.

He tries to wriggle out of his grip but it's no use, Octavian just kicks his knee from behind and the crack that follows makes Jason's ears ring slightly. Maybe he's immortal but this still hurt as hell.

''Let him go.'' Piper's voice comes and he looks at her in a flash.

Her voice was controlled and a little trembling, from rage or fear Jason didn't know and didn't care. Because it's still a sign of some emotion in her, that she's feeling…_something_ and he sees it on her face too, scrunched in a deep frown.

''Oh, poor little girl, watching her boyfriend suffer.'' He coos in a mocking tone and Jason can see the strength it takes her to keep her face emotionless, to keep herself at bay. But she's loosing it.

''I don't care, I've switched off my emotions.'' She repeats but it sounds like she's trying to convince herself more than Octavian.

Jason can see the hesitation in her and so can Octavian. He gives and arrogant smile then, tilting his head a little to the side while his eyes sweep over her slightly trembling figure.

''You have?'' he asks and Jason feels his hand tightening around his throat.

He is still trashing, trying to get away but he can't. The only thing he can do is watch as Piper's face scrunches up even more. Pain. ''Then you wouldn't mind this.''

And the last thing Jason sees is Piper's horrified eyes and half-opened in shock mouth. Her scream fills his ears before the world turns black.

* * *

His eyes snap open suddenly, like he's waking up from a nightmare. He feels sore and his whole body throbs in a dull ache so he doesn't move an inch. He just lies there, waiting for the pain to go away. Because it will, he has been like that before. He tries to turn his head and groaned loudly. Goddamnit, he is going to kill Octavian for this. He hates when he has to recover from a broken neck. His hand is rubbing his neck before he realizes what he's doing.

He hears shuffling in the room so he props himself on one of his elbows to look around. He has to blink a couple of times to make sure that he isn't dreaming or that she's not just some strange mirage. But she's still standing there, in the far corner of the room by the floor length windows with her hands crossed over her chest and a deep frown on her face.

''You're here.'' Is the first thing he says and Piper just nods silently, averting her eyes for a second like she's thinking of something.

''You didn't need to come, I was doing fine.'' She mumbles, still not closing the distance between them.

''You were cornered, I just decided to help. I'm older than you after all.'' He says matter-of-factly.

A hiss escapes his lips when he tries to sit up. He would need another blood bank soon. Do they even have any? Isn't today the day he and Annabeth are supposed to visit the hospital? Just his luck.

Piper's hand is suddenly on his shoulder, helping him sit up. Her eyes still refuse to meet his.

''I'm stronger than you are.'' She remarks and his face darkens.

''I saw.''

Piper lets go then, moving back and away from him. He manages to catch a glimpse of her face before she turns her back towards the room again. He's confused. Isn't she supposed to not feel anything? But the scrunched face and the glistening eyes tells him otherwise.

''I know.'' She admits and Jason can see her body shake a little until she hugs herself tighter. ''You should have stopped looking for me if you don't like who I've turned into. Didn't you know what you'll find in the end of the bloodline I was leaving?''

''Piper…?'' but he is cut off by her, turning sharply around and glaring at him with rage.

''No, don't accuse me because this isn't my fault. I survived and you can't blame me for that.'' Her voice is rising with every word and Jason is sure that even without their super hearing the rest can easily hear her from downstairs.

''I'm not accusing you of anything. Pipes just…what's wrong?'' he asks and that seems to reach through to her.

She isn't talking anymore, she is just standing there, as far away from him as possible, shaking her head and brushing away tears. Her body trembles furiously while she tries to breathe.

Before he has the chance to do anything she mumbles an apology and dashes out of the room, leaving the door opened. Seconds later Leo emerges with his usual smirk and closes the door while Jason is still looking after Piper.

''Don't try to think too much, she didn't mean it.'' Leo's voice returns him back to reality and he looks at him questioningly. ''Her emotions aren't…how should I put it? Uhm...''

''Leo, what's going on?'' he finally asks, starting to get annoyed at his friend a bit.

''Well, I don't get it exactly, Annabeth is the smart one, you should ask her but as long as I noticed Piper's feeling had switched back on when she saw you almost getting killed by Octavian. Apparently stressful events like getting your boyfriend killed can make you feel again.'' Leo shrugs like it's not a big deal but Jason is already sitting on his bed and listening intently.

''So, she's back to the way she was?''

The other guy shifts in his seat not looking at Jason directly.

''Uhm…not exactly. See, it's like she's feeling everything she has suppressed for all this time at one time. She can't control it so Annabeth is helping her get the hang of it.''

''Wait, how long have I been out?''

''A day. You haven't fed soon so that's why you have to put some blood in your system soon but you'll manage…''

Leo's voice was cut off by a loud crunch that sounded from the woods around the house.

''Oh boy.'' Leo sighs but Jason isn't listening, he is already out of the room and rushing towards the source of the sounds.

''Piper, listen to me, you have to calm down.'' Annabeth's soothing voice sounds in his ears and Jason speeds up; they are so near. ''Concentrate on one emotion, only one.''

''I can't…it's too much, I can't…I can't…'' Piper's voice is fragile and Jason feels a wave of pain hitting him at that sound. He jumps forward to land at the edge of a meadow. And then he sees them.

Annabeth's hands are on Piper's shoulders, trying to stop her from shaking while the other girl tries to breathe in. Jason doesn't stop until he had Piper in his arms. He pulls her towards him without hesitation and cradles her while hugging her tightly.

''Sh…hey, I'm here. Calm down Pipes, you're not alone. You can do this, I know you can.'' He whispers in her ear, stroking her silky hair while her forehead is pressed to his chest.

''I'm so sorry, I…gods, I killed people! So many people…I'm sorry…'' she isn't making much sense, doesn't seem to listen to what happens around her so Jason grabs her face in his arms and makes her look at him.

''Listen, Piper, look at me!'' he almost pleads with her and after a few seconds her watery eyes are locked with his while her fists grip on his shirt. ''I love you, do you hear me. I don't care about what happened in the past, the only thing I know is that you're here now and I'm not letting you go. I love you.''

''I…I love you too.'' She mumbles after a while and hides her face in his chest again.

''Concentrate on that beautiful, I'm here.'' He says again and they continue rocking like that on the forest ground until her body relaxes completely and she's no longer breathing like a chocking man.

It's night when she finally draws back from his chest to look almost shyly at him.

''Thanks.'' She mumbles while playing with the edge of her shirt and Jason almost laughs out loud. This is the Piper he knew.

''Always for you Pipes. I love you.'' He says before kissing her temple. When he leans back he sees that she was smiling. Just a little twist of the corners of her mouth but it was there. She was coming back.

''How can you love me after everything I've done? After what I've became?'' she asks then catching Jason completely off guard. He tightens his grip on her waist and waits for her to lift her face towards his.

''Because I know you. And I'm not that innocent myself.'' He shrugs and she is about to protest when he can't hold it anymore and launches forward, capturing her full lips in a desperate kiss.

It's relieving, the familiar way her body presses against his, how she still tangles her fingers in the back of his neck to pull him closer. Jason can't stop himself from smiling in the kiss but that soon fades away when she pushes him back and they fall backwards with him lying on the ground and she straddling him. They separate and he sees her closed eyes just inches away from his. She's just as breathtaking as before but there's something more. She's seems more powerful now, like someone who can fight his own battles.

''Sorry.'' She mumbles and gets off of him while Jason just laughs.

''I'm not complaining.'' He says, grabbing her hand because if she thinks that she can escape again then she doesn't now Jason at all.

''You should probably head back, they will be waiting for you.'' She says, standing up and he gets on his feet too.

''Okay, let's go.'' He says and tugs her hand but she's not moving. ''Pipes…''

''No, you should go alone, I mean…you have new friends now and they probably won't like someone like me around…''

She gets trapped in his hold again. He leans in so close that their lips are almost touching before whispering.

''It's their problem. I'm not letting you go any time soon.''

She looks up at him while a brilliant smile forms on her lips.

''I love you Jase.'' She says before pecking his lips.

''Mhm…love you too.'' He mumbles distractedly and they are kissing again.

Returning will have to wait.


End file.
